2008 - A YEAR OF THREE ANNIVERSARIES: 125th Anniversary of the Club for Natural Sciences in Fiume (Rijeka), 160th Anniversary of the Birth and 80th Anniversary of the Death Of Professor Peter Salcher

Abstract

The Natural Science Club was founded in Fiume/Rijeka (Naturwissentschaflichen Club in Fiume/Club di scienze naturali in Fiume) on November 28th 1883. The foundation charter stipulated no restriction on language use, and lectures could be held in any language. Right from the start, the Club had active women members, and one of them, Rosa Fatour, the headmistress of the municipal school, held a lecture entitled “Development of anthropology” as early as in 1889. The Club started to publish a bilingual bulletin in German and Italian in 1896 (Mittheilungen des Naturwissenshaftlichen Clubs in Fiume/Bolletino del Club di scienze naturali in Fiume), bringing not only reports on lectures held in the Club, but also important scientific and professional papers. In 1896, several sections were founded within the Club, as follows: 1. The Committee for Röntgen, whose aim was to purchase the Röntgen apparatus. This task was completed in 1897. The apparatus was ceded to the municipal hospital in 1899, and the Committee was disbanded. 2. The Photography Section, lead initially by A. Riegler. The section organized several photo exhibitions in which women often took part.3. The Prehistoric Research Section was founded subsequent to the discovery of the remains of an old fortification in the town. This section collaborated closely with the municipal museum. Since founding and until 1902, Prof Peter Salcher held important positions in the Club; he founded the Röntgen Committee and the Photography Section; he himself gave 31 lectures and was editor of the German part of the Bulletin.